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(-No Model.)

C. A. GREENE.

MOWING MACHINE.

No. Patented Nov. 22, 1887.

N. PETERS Pham-muur. nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn c.

UNITED STATES PATENT CrricE.

CHARLES A. GREENE, OF STOCKTON, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO WALTER E. BIDVVELL, OF SAME PLACE.

iVlOWING-MACHINE.

SPECIFCATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 373,524, dated November 22, 1887.

(No model.)

.To aZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be itknown that l, GHARLEs A. GREENE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Stockton,in the county of San Joaquin, Stato of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mowing Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to a grass-cnttingmachine, more particularly to that class termed mowing-machines,7 and which are used eX- clusively for cutting grass in large quantities. In the accompanying drawings, Figure l represents a plan of a mowing-machine containing my improvements. Fig. 2 is an elevation of a ball-joint device connecting the pitman to the cutter-bar. Fig. 3 is a section through line Z Z, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 isa section 2o of the cutter-bar and finger-bar through line X X, Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, A A represent the wheels of a mowing-machine, and B the supporting iron frame, ot' which C is the main and driving axle, carrying the wheels A, and

at a proper location a main or driving spurwheel, D, which intcrmeshcs with a clutch spur-pinion, E, upon a shaft, G, which pinion, by its clutch, engages with the clutch of a 3o bevel-gear, F, upon shaft G. The gear F intermeshes with a bevel-gear, H, upon the end of a crank-shaft, I, upon the forward end of which are two crank-balances at needful positions, having suitable pins fo'r the reception of thejaws of the pitman L, by which the upper cutter-bar, N, is driven, and of the pitman L', by which the lower cutterbar,O,is driven.

M is the usual shoe at the connection of the 4o nger-bar to the frame.

The finger-bar is composed of three portions-viz., a thick upper plate, S, a middle thin plate, T, to separate the cutter-bar, and a bottom plate, S. The guard-ngers P are secured beneath the bottom plate, S, and are provided with channels in front of the plate S', so that the cutter-bar O may slide therein. The bar of the upper cutter-bar, N, slides in front of the upper plate, S, and upon guides 5o t, attached to the front edge of the bar T, and

is prevented from springing upward by keepers R, secured by bolts It to the finger-bar, which bolts also aid to secure the plates S T S together.

The two strips i* i", (shown in Fig. 4,) lying between the rear edges of the cutter-bars and the front edges of the parts S S of the fingerbar, are designed to serve as wearing-plates for the rear edges of the cutter-bar, and are preferably made of hardened steel.

The cutters N are slightly curved or depressed, in order to enable them to enter the lips of the guards P, parallel with and just above the cutters of the cutter-bar O, so that the cutter-bars will easily pass each other and their faces impinge upon each other,as in a pair of scissors.

In light grass, when an ordinary speed of the team will answer for cutting purposes, the upper cutter-bar may be removed and its pitman disconnected and the lower cutter-bar alone used.

The articulated connection of the cutter-bar and pitman is accomplished by the use of a ball, g, upon the end ofthe pitman, the pitman makinga curve at the point of connection with the ball. This ball g is encompassed by a socket in two sliding ways, aand b, which ways are provided with grooves which slide upon tonguesfon the inside of asuitably-constructed 8o head,V, of the cutter-bar. The way b impinges upon thethreaded head ofa turn-screw, @,which is controlled by a head outside ofthe cutter-bar head V, the screw c passing through asuitable holel'or that purpose. Lock-nuts d 85 and e, respectively inside and outside of the head V, secure the position of the screw c in relation to the waysa and b.

Freedom to act at any position ofthe cutter-bar is afforded by the ball g, so that, no 9o matter what is the angle ofthe nger-bar,the cutter-bar will operate easily. The headVis secured to the cutter bar in any desired method.

Havingthusdescrihed my invention,what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination, substantially as described, of the frame B and wheels A, the main shaft C, the drivinggearing composed of the spurloo wheel D, the clutch spur-pinion E, the clutch bevelgear F, the bevel-pinion H, the crankshaft I, having two crank-balanees, K and J, with pins thereon at its outer end in suitable positions, the pitmen L and L', connecting the crank-balances J and K, respectively, to the upper and lower cutter-bars, N and O, the pitl men being each provided with ball g, engaging with a socket-connection composing the head of each cutter-bar, consisting of the head V, the sliding blocks a and b, having grooves receiving the tongues f, and the lock screw 

